Diet in diarrhoea (dast): what to eat and drink
In diarrhoea, fluids come first: ORS after every loose stool, plus water, rice water, yakhni and lassi. Then eat small, light meals, khichdi, rice with dahi, banana, boiled potato, toast, rather than starving. Avoid cold drinks, juice, oily and spicy food. See a doctor for blood in stool, high fever or signs of dehydration.
Fluids: the part that saves lives
- ORS after every loose stool: about half a cup for a small child, a full cup or more for an adult.
- Rice water (chawal ka paani), yakhni, soup and plain water through the day.
- Lassi or plain dahi: easy on the gut and gives some protein.
- Not cold drinks, packaged juice or sugary sharbat: the sugar load pulls more water into the gut.
Check urine: pale and passing every few hours means you are drinking enough.
What to eat, day by day
- Day 1: ORS and fluids, plus khichdi, boiled rice with dahi, banana, toast or a soft chapati, in small amounts.
- Day 2: add boiled potato, lauki or tori sabzi, moong daal, boiled egg or a small piece of chicken.
- Day 3 onwards: back to normal home food. Add high-fibre items and milk gradually.
Zinc supplements for 10 to 14 days are recommended by WHO for children with diarrhoea; ask the doctor about the dose for the child's age.
Preventing the next episode
Most diarrhoea in Pakistan comes from unsafe water and food. Boil or filter drinking water, avoid ice and cut fruit from outside, wash hands with soap before eating and after the toilet, and keep cooked food covered and reheated properly. If loose motions keep coming back for weeks, it may be IBS or an infection that needs testing: see gut health.
See a doctor first if
- There is blood or mucus in the stool, or a high fever
- Vomiting stops you drinking, or there is no urine for 8 hours
- Sunken eyes, dry mouth, extreme weakness or confusion
- Diarrhoea lasts more than 3 days in an adult, or in any baby or small child
- The person is a baby, elderly, pregnant, or has diabetes or kidney disease
Common questions
What is diarrhoea in Urdu?
Diarrhoea is "dast" (دست) or "pait kharab", meaning loose or watery stools three or more times a day. Most cases settle in 2 to 3 days; the real danger is dehydration, especially in children and older people.
What should I eat during diarrhoea?
Start with fluids: ORS after every loose stool, plus water, rice water (chawal ka paani), yakhni and lassi. Then eat small amounts of light food: khichdi, boiled rice with dahi, banana, boiled potato, soft chapati, toast and apple. Keep eating; starving makes recovery slower.
How do I make ORS at home?
Packet ORS from a pharmacy is best: dissolve one sachet in the exact amount of clean water written on it. If no packet is available, WHO's home mix is 6 level teaspoons of sugar and half a level teaspoon of salt in 1 litre of clean water. It should taste no saltier than tears.
Should I drink milk during diarrhoea?
Plain dahi and lassi are usually well tolerated and help. Large amounts of milk can worsen loose motions for a few days in some adults because of temporary lactose intolerance. Babies and children should continue breastfeeding or their usual milk unless the doctor says otherwise.
What should be avoided?
Cold drinks and packaged juice (the sugar pulls more water into the gut), oily and spicy food, very high-fibre food for the first day or two, caffeine, and street food. Do not take anti-diarrhoea tablets or antibiotics on your own, especially for a child.
When is diarrhoea dangerous?
Go to a doctor for blood in the stool, high fever, severe stomach pain, vomiting that stops you drinking, no urine for 8 hours, sunken eyes, extreme weakness, or diarrhoea lasting more than 3 days. In babies and small children, act much sooner.
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